Backpack system

ABSTRACT

A backpack system may include a main body, a neck support, a seat support and first and second shoulder straps. The main body may include a plurality of panels forming a cavity. The plurality of panels may include an inward-facing panel, an outward-facing panel, and first and second side panels. The neck support may be connected to an upper portion of the main body. The seat support may be connected to a lower portion of the main body and configured to selectively rotate between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration relative to the main body. The first and straps may extend between an upper portion of the main body and a lower portion of the main body.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to backpacks including, forexample, backpack systems, devices, and methods for supporting,shielding and/or reducing fatigue of a user.

BACKGROUND

This background description is set forth below for the purpose ofproviding context only. Therefore, any aspect of this backgrounddescription, to the extent that it does not otherwise qualify as priorart, is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art againstthe instant disclosure.

Some designs do not adequately support, shield, and/or reduce thefatigue of a user.

There is a desire for solutions and options that minimize or eliminateone or more challenges or shortcomings of backpacks. The foregoingdiscussion is intended only to illustrate examples of the present fieldand is not a disavowal of scope.

SUMMARY

In embodiments, a convertible backpack system may include a main body, aneck support, a seat support and first and second shoulder straps. Themain body may include a plurality of panels forming a cavity. Theplurality of panels may include an inward-facing panel, anoutward-facing panel, and first and second side panels. The neck supportmay be connected to an upper portion of the main body. The seat supportmay be connected to a lower portion of the main body and configured toselectively rotate between an unfolded configuration and a foldedconfiguration relative to the main body. The first and straps may extendbetween an upper portion of the main body and a lower portion of themain body. Methods of a convertible backpack are contemplated.

Methods of a convertible backpack system may include providing a mainbody including a plurality of panels forming a cavity. The plurality ofpanels may include an inward-facing panel, an outward-facing panel, andfirst and second side panels. The methods may include providing a necksupport connected to an upper portion of the main body, providing a seatsupport connected to a lower portion of the main body, and selectivelyrotating the seat support between an unfolded configuration and a foldedconfiguration relative to the main body.

The foregoing and other potential aspects, features, details, utilities,and/or advantages of examples/embodiments of the present disclosure willbe apparent from reading the following description, and from reviewingthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view generally illustrating an embodiment of abackpack system according to teachings of the present disclosure, e.g.,in an unfolded configuration.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view generally illustrating an embodiment of abackpack system according to teachings of the present disclosure, e.g.,in a folded configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view generally illustrating portions of anembodiment of a backpack system according to teachings of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the presentdisclosure, examples of which are described herein and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings. While the present disclosure will bedescribed in conjunction with embodiments and/or examples, it will beunderstood that they do not limit the present disclosure to theseembodiments and/or examples. On the contrary, the present disclosurecovers alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.

In embodiments, such as generally illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, a system 100may be configured as a backpack system. System 100 be configured tosupport, shield and/or reduce fatigue of one or more body portions of auser 200.

With examples, a system 100 may include a convertible backpack system.As shown in FIG. 1, system 100 may include a main body 102, a seatsupport 104, one or more connectors (e.g., a first seat strap 106 a, asecond seat strap 106 b, a first connector 108 a, and/or a secondconnector 108 b), an attachment portion 110, one or more arm supports(e.g., a first arm support 112 a and/or a second arm support 112 b), oneor more supports (e.g., a first lumbar support 120 a and/or a secondlumbar support 120 b), and/or a neck support 122.

In examples, the main body 102 may be cushioned, inflatable, adjustable,and/or user-specific and include structures configured to engage a torso202 of a user 200. Main body 102 may include one or more panels (e.g.,panels 114, 116 a, 116 b, 118) that may form a cavity 102 a therein. Theone or more panels may include an inward-facing panel 114, anoutward-facing panel 118, a first side panel 116 a, and/or a second sidepanel 116 b. The main body 102 and seat support 104 may be convertiblebetween an unfolded condition (e.g., FIG. 1) and a folded condition(e.g., FIG. 2). The side panels 116 a, 116 b may, for example, include atapered and/or triangular configuration.

With examples, the seating portion 124 may be cushioned, inflatable,adjustable, user-specific and/or configured as a seat for the user 200.Seat support 104 may be connected to the main body 102, such as via anattachment portion 110 (e.g., a strap). Seat support 104 may beconfigured to selectively move, rotate, and/or pivot relative to themain body 102, such as between the unfolded configuration (FIG. 1) andthe folded configuration (FIG. 2). The seat support 104 may beintegrally or removably attached to the lower portion of the main body102.

In examples, a seat support 104 may include a seating portion 124, firstand second side portions 126 a, 126 b, a distal portion 128, a groundportion 130, and a proximal portion 132. The seating portion 124 mayinclude a tapered surface (e.g., downward from the proximal portion 132to the distal portion 128). The ground portion 130 may be configured toengage the ground or another surface. The proximal portion 132 may beconfigured to engage the main body 102 and/or may include a taperedsurface (e.g., upward from the ground portion 130 to the seating portion124.

With embodiments, a main body 102 and seating support 104 may includefirst and second seat straps 106 a, 106 b interconnected by first andsecond connectors 108 a, 108 b (e.g., upper and lower connectors). Seatstraps 106 a, 106 b may be connected to respective upper and lowerconnectors 108 a, 108 b. The upper and lower connectors 108 a, 108 b maybe releasably connected to each other to hold seat support 104 in thefolded condition (FIG. 2) and detached from each other to release seatsupport 104 into the unfolded condition (FIG. 1). The upper seat strap106 a may connect the first connector 108 a to on an upper portion ofinward-facing panel 114 of main body 102, such as adjacent or below aneck support 122. The lower seat strap 106 b may connect the secondconnector 108 b to seat support 104, such as adjacent or on distalportion 128.

In embodiments, connectors 108 a, 108 b may be configured to connectwith each other so as to interconnect seat straps 106 a, 106 b.Connector 108 a, or alternatively connector 108 b, may include a femalebuckle connector with a plurality of parallel channels, e.g., a centralchannel and first and second side channels. Connector 108 b, oralternatively connector 108 a, may include a male buckle connector witha plurality of substantially parallel protrusions, e.g., a centralprotrusion and first and second side protrusions. The plurality ofprotrusions may include respective leading ends having a hook or prongconfigured to be positioned and snapped into corresponding ones of theplurality of channels to secure the connectors 108 a, 108 b relative toeach other.

With embodiments, arm supports 112 a, 112 b may be cushioned,inflatable, adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structuresconfigured to receive respective arms 204 a, 204 b of a user 200. Armsupports 112 a, 112 b may be integrally or removably attached to thefirst and second side panels 116 a, 116 b, respectively. Arm support 112a may be configured to surround and/or support a portion of a first arm204 a of the user 20, such as a first hand 206 a, a first wrist 208 a, afirst elbow 210 a, and/or a combination thereof. Arm support 112 b maybe configured to surround and/or support a portion of a second arm ofthe user 200, such as a second hand 206 b, a second wrist 208 b, asecond elbow 210 b, and/or a combination thereof.

In examples, lumbar supports 120 a, 120 b may be cushioned, inflatable,adjustable, user-specific and/or configured to engage a back 212 of theuser 200. Lumbar supports 120 a, 120 b may be configured to engage alumbar portion of the back 212 of the user 200. Lumbar support 120 a,120 b may include and/or be configured as protrusions arranged in amatrix pattern having columns and rows corresponding with upper, lower,and/or side regions of a back 212 of the user 200.

With examples, a neck support 122 may be cushioned, inflatable,adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structures configured toconform to a neck 214 of the user 200. The neck support 122 may beintegrally or removably attached to the lower portion of the main body102. The neck support 122 may be extendable and/or adjustable toincrease engagement with the neck 214 of the user 200.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a system 100 in a folded condition. Theseating portion 124 may be aligned with and/or positioned adjacent tothe inward-facing panel 114 of the main body 102. System 100 may includea head shield 136. Head shield 136 may be configured to cover or shielda head 216 of a user 200. Head shield 136 may be integrally or removablyattached to the upper portion of the main body 102. Head shield 136 maybe configured to shield the head 216 of the user 200 from one or moreenvironmental elements (e.g., provide shade from the sun to limit subburn and/or provide cooling, provide heat for cold weather, and/or bewaterproof/resistant to provide dryness from rain and/or snow).

Referring to FIG. 3, embodiments of a system 100 may include first andsecond shoulder straps 138 a, 138 b and/or first and second hand shields140 a,b. Shoulder straps 138 a, 138 b may be cushioned, inflatable,adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structures configured toconnect the system 100 to a user 200. Shoulder straps 138 a, 138 b mayextend from an upper portion of inward-facing panel 114 of main body 102to a lower portion of inward-facing panel 114. Shoulder straps 138 a,138 b be may be integral to, separate from, disposed along, and/ordisposed between hand shields 140 a, 140 b. The shoulder straps 138 a,138 b may be connected to and extend between upper and lower portions ofmain body 102.

In examples, hand shields 140 a, 140 b may be cushioned, inflatable,adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structures configured tocover or shield hands 206 a, 206 b of a user 200. Hand shields 140 a,140 b may be integrally or removably attached to one or both of thefirst and second shoulder straps 138 a, 138 b. Hand shields 140 a, 140 bmay be configured to shield the head 216 of the user 200 from one ormore environmental elements (e.g., provide shade from the sun to limitsub burn and/or provide cooling, provide heat for cold weather, and/orbe waterproof/resistant to provide dryness from rain and/or snow). Forexample and without limitation, hand shields 140 a, 140 b may include agenerally tapered and/or conical configuration that may open downward.The first and second shoulder straps 138 a, 138 b may extend through thehand shields 140 a, 140 b such that when a user 200 inserts hands 206 a,206 b into the hand shields 140 a, 140 b, user 200 may hold onto straps138 a, 138 b within hand shields 140 a, 140 b. The hand shields 140 a,140 b may be connected to straps 138, 138 b in a fluid sealing manner ator about the top of hand shields 140 a, 140 b such that fluid may notflow between straps 138 a, 138 b and hand shields 140 a, 140 b. The handshields 140 a, 140 b may, for example and without limitation, beconnected to straps 138 a, 138 b at a level substantially even with orbelow a heart of user 200, such as to facilitate blood flow to hands 206a, 206 b. The hand shields 140 a, 140 b may, for example and withoutlimitation, be connected to straps 138 a, 138 b in an adjustable mannersuch that hand shields 140 a, 140 b may be connected to straps 138 a,138 b in a plurality of positions, such as via a hook and loopconnection, for example.

With examples, such as generally illustrated in FIG. 3, hand shields 140a, 140 b may include cuffs 142 a, 142 b. The cuffs 142 a, 142 b mayinclude a resilient material, such as elastic, that may be biased inward(e.g., to a relatively small diameter) and/or configured to contact anarm 204 a, 204 b (e.g., a hand 206 a, 206 b, a wrist 208 a, 208 b, etc.)of a user 200, such as to limit fluid movement and/or heat transfer intoand/or out of hand shields 140 a, 140 b. The cuffs 142 a, 142 b may bedisposed at or about a lower end of hand shields 140 a, 140 b.

A method of using a backpack system 100 may include providing a mainbody 102 including a plurality of panels, such as an inward-facing panel114, second side panels 116 a, 116 b, and an outward-facing panel 118,that may at least partially define a cavity 102 a. The method mayinclude providing a seat support 104 that may be selectively connectedto an upper portion of the main body 102 and/or to a lower portion ofthe main body 102, such as via one or more attachment portions 110. Themethod may include selectively rotating the seat support 104 between anunfolded configuration and a folded configuration relative to the mainbody 102. The method may include providing first and second shoulderstraps 138 a, 138 b extending between the upper portion of the main body102 and the lower portion of the main body 102, an arm support 112integrally or removably attached to at least one of the first and secondside panels 116 a, 116 b, and a hand shield 140 integrally or removablyattached to at least one of the first and second shoulder straps 138 a,138 b.

Various examples and embodiments are described herein for variousapparatuses, systems, and/or methods. Numerous specific details are setforth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure,function, manufacture, and use of the examples/embodiments as describedin the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Itwill be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that theexamples/embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. Inother instances, well-known operations, components, and elements havenot been described in detail so as not to obscure theexamples/embodiments described in the specification. Those of ordinaryskill in the art will understand that the examples/embodiments describedand illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can beappreciated that the specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit thescope of the embodiments.

Reference throughout the specification to “examples, “in examples,”“with examples,” “various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “inembodiments,” or “an embodiment,” or the like, means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theexample/embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus,appearances of the phrases “examples, “in examples,” “with examples,”“in various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “in embodiments,” or “anembodiment,” or the like, in places throughout the specification are notnecessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, theparticular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined inany suitable manner in one or more examples/embodiments. Thus, theparticular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated ordescribed in connection with one embodiment/example may be combined, inwhole or in part, with the features, structures, functions, and/orcharacteristics of one or more other embodiments/examples withoutlimitation given that such combination is not illogical ornon-functional. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation or material to the teachings of the presentdisclosure without departing from the scope thereof.

It should be understood that references to a single element are notnecessarily so limited and may include one or more of such element. Anydirectional references (e.g., plus, minus, upper, lower, upward,downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below,vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used foridentification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the presentdisclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to theposition, orientation, or use of examples/embodiments.

Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and the like)are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members betweena connection of elements and relative movement between elements. Assuch, joinder references do not necessarily imply that two elements aredirectly connected/coupled and in fixed relation to each other. The useof “e.g.” in the specification is to be construed broadly and is used toprovide non-limiting examples of embodiments of the disclosure, and thedisclosure is not limited to such examples. Uses of “and” and “or” areto be construed broadly (e.g., to be treated as “and/or”). For exampleand without limitation, uses of “and” do not necessarily require allelements or features listed, and uses of “or” are inclusive unless sucha construction would be illogical.

While processes, systems, and methods may be described herein inconnection with one or more steps in a particular sequence, it should beunderstood that such methods may be practiced with the steps in adifferent order, with certain steps performed simultaneously, withadditional steps, and/or with certain described steps omitted.

All matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and notlimiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departingfrom the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A backpack system, comprising: a main bodyincluding a plurality of panels forming a cavity, the plurality ofpanels including an inward-facing panel, an outward-facing panel, andfirst and second side panels; a neck support connected to an upperportion of the main body; a seat support connected to a lower portion ofthe main body and configured to selectively rotate between an unfoldedconfiguration and a folded configuration relative to the main body; andfirst and second shoulder straps connected to the upper portion of themain body and the lower portion of the main body.
 2. The system of claim1, wherein the neck support is integrally attached to the upper portionof the main body.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the seat support isintegrally or removably attached to attached to the lower portion of themain body.
 4. The system of claim 1, including an arm support integrallyor removably attached to at least one of the first and second sidepanels.
 5. The system of claim 1, including a hand shield integrally orremovably attached to at least one of the first and second shoulderstraps.
 6. The system of claim 1, including a head shield integrally orremovably attached to the upper portion of the main body.
 7. The systemof claim 1, including an upper seat strap connecting the upper portionof the main body and a distal end of the seat support, and a lower seatstrap connecting the lower portion of the main body and a proximal endof the seat support.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the upper seatstrap includes a first strap segment having a first connector and asecond seat strap segment having a second connector, the first andsecond connector being configured to connect with each other to hold theseat support is in the folded configuration and being configured todisconnect from each other to release the seat support to the unfoldedconfiguration.
 9. A convertible backpack system, comprising: a main bodyincluding a plurality of panels forming a cavity, the plurality ofpanels including an inward-facing panel, an outward-facing panel, andfirst and second side panels; a neck support connected to an upperportion of the main body; and a seat support connected to a lowerportion of the main body and configured to selectively rotate between anunfolded configuration and a folded configuration relative to the mainbody.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the neck support is removablyattached to the upper portion of the main body.
 11. The system of claim9, including shoulder straps and hand shields connected to the shoulderstraps; wherein the hand shields are tapered.
 12. The system of claim 9,including an arm support integrally or removably attached to at leastone of the first and second side panels.
 13. The system of claim 9,including first and second shoulder straps and a hand shield integrallyor removably attached to at least one of the first and second shoulderstraps.
 14. The system of claim 9, including a head shield integrally orremovably attached to the upper portion of the main body.
 15. The systemof claim 9, including an upper seat strap connecting the upper portionof the main body and a distal end of the seat support, and a lower seatstrap connecting the lower portion of the main body and a proximal endof the seat support.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the upper seatstrap includes a first upper strap portion having a first connector anda second upper strap portion having a second connector, the first andsecond connectors being configured to connect with each other to holdthe seat support is in the folded configuration and being configured todisconnect from each other to release the seat support to the unfoldedconfiguration.
 17. A method of a convertible backpack system, the methodcomprising: providing a main body including a plurality of panelsincluding an inward-facing panel, an outward-facing panel, and first andsecond side panels, providing a neck support connected to an upperportion of the main body, providing a seat support connected to a lowerportion of the main body; and selectively rotating the seat supportbetween an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration relative tothe main body.
 18. The method of claim 17, including: providing firstand second shoulder straps extending between the upper portion of themain body and the lower portion of the main body.
 19. The method ofclaim 18, including: providing a hand shield attached to at least one ofthe first and second shoulder straps.
 20. The method of claim 17,including: providing an arm support integrally or removably attached toat least one of the first and second side panels.